Vacuum-package apparatus



Patented Oct. 31,- 1922.

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UNTED STATESl HENRY L. MEAD, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

'VACUUM-PACKAGE APPARATUS.

Application filed January 13, 1922. Serial No. 529,017.

To all whom t may concern.'

3c it known that I, HENRY L. MEAD, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use'l'ul Improvements in Vacuum-Package Apparatus; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such Ias will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specication.

My invention relates to vacuum-package apparatus, and has Jfor its general object to provide means for packing material in air tight receptacles to be maintained sealed by a preponderance of atmospheric pressure over a reduced pressure within the sealed receptacle.

More particularly the object of my invention is to provide suitable means tor reducing the pressure within the receptacle.

The features ot my invention are hereinafter fully explained and pointed out, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is a central vert-ical section of my" improved sealing apparatus.

Figure 2, is a transverse section on the line 2 2 in Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 3, is a central section of the handle portion of my improved device shown in Fig. l.

Figure a, is a modified construction of the same.

In these drawings A indicates an inverted bell-shaped structure composed of rubber or other suitable flexible material, the lower edge of which is provided with a circum'fer ential rib or bead a adapted to seat down upon an annular shoulder?) of the receptacle B.

The structure A is provided with intei-nal ribs a, which serve to stiften the wall of the inverted. bell A and cause it to spring back to its normal position when it has been depressed, as hereinat scribed, and as illustrated by broken lines in Fig. l. y

inserted within the apex oi the bell A is an operating handle C. This handle C is secured against longitudinal movement in the bell A by reason ot the 'frictional ter decontact between the two. `The handle .C is provided with a longitudinal opening o, which communicates with a transverse opening c', and around the handle C I place a band of rubber or other elastic material 02, which acts as a valve to prevent air from flowing into the transverse opening c, but will permit air to ow therefrom. y

The end of the handle C within the bell A is preferably provided with a spring D which is screwed into a suit-able spiral groove cl around said handle so that the length of the spring D below the handle can be adjusted as desired.

Hthin the receptacle B I place a container E which I desire to seal; and upon the top ot this container is placed a cover FK, the edge of which seats upon the ring of rubber or other suitable material c in the usual manner. Now, by placing the bell A upon the annular shoulder b or" the receptacle B, and pushing downwardly upon the handle C, so that the bell A is distorted as shown by broken lines in Fig. l, and

- then releasing the pressure upon the handle C, the recoil of the bell A, assisted somewhat by the spring D and the hand ot the operator lifting on the handle C exhausts air out ot the container E, the spring D acting to keep the cover E seated upon the ring e. A repeated pressure upon the handle C again distorts the bell A and forces air therein outward through the passages c and c', in the handle C. This operation is continued until sufficient air has been drawn out of the container E to give the desired external pressure of the atmosphere upon thecover E to maintain a. perfect seal between the cover E, ring c and container E. The spring D is for the purpose oi exerting enough pressure on the cover E to maintain it seated upon the ring c; but should not exert more pressure thereon than is necessary tor that purpose. llt the natural resiliency of the bell A is not suthcient to exhaust the air from the container the operator will litt on the handle C as may be found necessary.

In Fig. 4t l show a modiiication oit the spring device associated with the handle C in which F indicates a rod having al head f on the upper end thereof, which is slidably secured within the longitudinal opening c oi' the handle C by means ot a sleeve f pressed into said opening, and above the head oil the rod placed a spring F to seat upon said shoulder, and means to allow air to escape from said bell when it is depressed and prevent air entering thereinto when it is assuming its normal position.

2. In a device of the class described, a Cylinder having a Closed end, an annular shoulder around the opposite end, a flexible bell adapted to seat on said shoulder, and a handle secured in the apex of said bell.

ln testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY L. MEAD. 

